Can-making machine



L. l. DENNSCN CAN MAKING MACHINE Filed ADIil 25 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lawrfzce l Dennison L. l. DENNlSON GAN MAKING MACHINE Filed April 25. 1921 2 Sheets-Shes. 2

lawrence l Benn/wfg Patented Oct. 14, 1924.

UNITED STATES LAWRENCE I. DENNISON, OF BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS.

GANjMA'KING MACHINE.

Application filed April 25, 1921.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE I. DENNI- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookfield, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Making Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in can making machinery and more particularly to an attachment for trimming the ends of can bodies or blanks as the same are fed through a so-called lock-seam bodyforming machine.

In the can making art it is the practice at the present time to cut the can body blanks in a so-called slitting machine, after which said blanks are supplied or fed by suitable mechanism into the so-called lock-seam bodyforming machines. In these latter machines these blanks are flanged at their` opposite ends and subsequently curved about a horn, or the like, into cylindrical form and in such wise that the flanges interlock, after which a hammer, or the like, presses said flanges firmly together forming the usual llock-seam vextending longitudinally of the body. As is well known, slight dimensional variations frequently occur in can body blanks, as the same are out or formed in the slitting inachines, such variations resulting in the production of cans of different sizes and often times the ends of a blank will be cut at a slight angle which prevents the forming of a perfect seam. The can bodies varying in this manner from a given standard must in most cases be scrapped resulting in a'tot-al loss.

According to the present invention, it is contemplated to overcome these difficulties and disadvantages by the provision of an attachment primarily adapted for use in conjunction with the so-called lock-seam body-forming machines by means of which attachment each can `body blank as the same is fed through the machine is sheared off at its ends, thus avoiding all possibility of dimensional variations in the blanks vand the subsequent production o-f cans of varying sizes, or of cans having'poorly formed seams.

Other objects and advantages of the in- Seral No. 464,116.

vention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein one form of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a so-called loclnseam body-forming machine shown more or less diagrammatically and many parts being omitted;

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the attachment which forms the subject matter of the present invention;

Fig. 4: is asectional view taken on line lf-4f of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the cutting blades.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the lock-seam body-forming machine is shown comprising the usual bed plate 10, and super or sup-porting structure 11. EX-

-tending transversely of the machine near one end thereof is a shaft 12, adapted to be driven from any suitable source through means of the pulley 13, carried at one end thereof. A suitable central longitudinally disposed channel 14: is provided in the top plate of the machine within which channel a plurality of finger bars 15 are reciprocally mounted, each of these bars carrying at in tervals throughout its length suitable upstanding dogs or fingers 16. These finger bars lare connected by a transverse bar 17, the latter being connected by a suitable link 1S to the upper end of a rocker arm 19. The lower end of this arm 19 is connected by a link 20 to the crank disk 21, carried by shaft 12. Through the mechanism just described the finger bars 15 are reciprocated in unison for the purpose of feeding the can body blanks from a suitable source at the left hand end of the machine-as viewed in Figs. 1-2-through the machine step by step, the lingers or dogs 16 carried by said bars being so arranged that upon movement of the bars in the feeding direction, the

upper ends of said fingers extend slightly above the top surfaces of the bars so as to engage'the blanks to produce a positive feed or advancement thereof and Vwhen moving in a reverse direction drop down below the top surface of the bars so as not to interfere with or disturb the blanks in their advanced position.

The attachment which forms the subject matter of the present invention is designated in its entirety by reference character 22 and is preferably positioned in advance of the other mechanisms which operate upon the blanks so that the said blanks will'first be cut off square and of proper length. Describing the attachment more in detail, the same comprises supporting plates 23, one mounted on each side of the channel 14. These plates each carry on their inner surr face an angle block 24, which may be bolted or otherwise secured to the plates 23. In addition, the blocks 24 may be providedwith an outstanding rib designed for engagement within a suitable channel of the blocks 23 as shown in the drawings. Secured against the exposed face of each of the blocks 24 is a cutting blade 25,. These blades, if desired, may be held in position by the same means employed for securing blocks 24 to the plates 23. Secured to the top plate of the machine and below the cutting blades25 are bars 26 carrying cutting blocks 27 designed to coact with the cutting blades 25 upon actuation of the attachment. The angle blocks 24 are each provided with an overhanging portion 28, apertured as at 29 for receiving stems 30 of suitable presser bars 31, said stems 3.0 at their upper ends being provided with pins 32 or the like to prevent displacement. `The Stems 30 are slidably mounted in apertures 29. and coiled springs 33 surround said stems and bear at one end upon the presser bars 31, and atvthe other end against the overhang'ng portion 28 of the angle blocks 24. The vertical edges of the supporting plates 23 are beveled as at 34 and designed to engage within correspondingly for-med grooves in upright guides 85. Each of the supporting plates 23 is reciprocated in a vertical plane by means of a crank disk 36., and connecting rod 37, the crank disks 36 being mounted on a transverse. shaft 38, which is driven from the main shaft 12 through the sprocket wheel and chain arrangement shown. The reciprocation of the plates23 is so timed that the cutting* blades 25. will be operated to. shear off the ends of each of; the blanks as the same are fed through the machine.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings a blank is shown at A beneath the cutting knives and in position to be sheared off at its ends. 'Ihe function of the presser bars 31 is to clamp or firmly hold blank A against the cutting blocks 27h, dur-ingl the cutting operationfso. as to prevent displacement thereof and possible improper shearing, the arrangement of'saidpresser bars being such that, upon thel downward movement of the supporting plates 23 and associated mechanism the said bars are brought into holding engagement with the blank prior to the shearing action of the cutting blades as will be readily appreciated.

After the blank has beenV trimmed by means of the attachment 22, the same is advanced by the finger bars 15 to the so-called edgers shown diagrammatically in the drawings at 39 where the said blank is flanged at its opposite ends. From this position the blank is again advanced to a position over the horn 40 at which time the cam forming wings 41 are operated to press the blank around the horn in such wise that the flanges formed thereon interlock. The hammer 42 is then thrust upwardly against the interlocked lianges to press the latter firmly together producing the so-called lock-seam.

rIhe body forming wings 41 are Vhinged along their adjacent edges as at 48 and each wing is connected by means of a link 43 to an overhanging rocker arm 44, the latter being connected at its far end to acrank disk 45 byv means of the connecting rod 46. The crank disk 45 is carried by a shaft 47 which is also driven from the main `shaft`12 vby means of the sprocket wheel and chain arrangement shown.

are properly timed so as to effect the desired step by step operation upon theblanks as the same are fed through the machine.

Many of the so-called lock-seam bodyforming machines as now manufactured are provided with the plates 231 guides 35 and the reciprocating mechanism for-said plates previously described, these elements being It will be understood that all of the mechanisms of the machine now employed for the operation of so-called punches designed to notch the can body blanks as the latter are fedy through the ma-y chine in order to prevent the occurrence of four thicknesses of metal at the ends of the longitudinal body seam when the ends of the can are secured in position. Wherethese elements do occur in present day machines, the present invention contemplates the association of the trimming or cutting mechanism above described directly with the punching mechanism, so that the blanks will be simultaneously notched and trimmed to size as the same are fed through the machine. In machines where these elements do not occur it will befound a sim-pleA matter to install an attachment according to the present invention as well as the operating connections therefor.

Attachments constructed in' -accordance with the present invention are now in use and have proved to. eliminatefpractically all waste of material such as has heretofore been attributable entirely to. dimensional variations in the can bod-y blanks due to inaccuracies occurring in the cutting lof said blanks in the so-called slitting machines.

As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the present improvements are susceptible of various changes and modications and accordingly it is not desired to limit or restrict the same to the particular form or arrangement of parts herein described and illustrated, except Where limitations appear in appended claims.

I claim:

l. The combination with a lock-seam body-forming machine, of means associated therewith for squaring the ends of previously cut body blanks as the latter are fed through said machine.

2. The combination with a lock-seam canforming machine, of an attachment therefor comprising a plurality of guides, supporting plates slidably mounted therein, and

means carried by said plates for squaring the ends of a previously cut blank as the latter is fed through said machine.

3. The combination With a lock-seam canforming machine, oi' an attachment therefor comprising a plurality1 of guides, supporting plates slidably mounted therein, means carried by said plates for squaring the ends of a previously cut blank as the latter is fed through said machine, and means associated with said squaring means for holding said blank against displacement during the cutting operation.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

LAWRENCE I. DENNISON. 

